The present invention is directed to a candy dispenser for dispensing candy pieces.
Various candy dispensing mechanisms have been marketed in the past to provide entertaining ways of dispensing pieces of candy. For example, one prior art candy dispensing mechanism which was marketed more than one year before the filing of this patent was an MandM(copyright) candy dispensing character. That dispensing character had a MandM(copyright) candy shaped body, a pair of boots which were attached to a bottom portion of the body, a pair of movable hands and arms that extended outwardly from body, and a cylindrical candy container filled with MandM(copyright) candies which mounted onto the body in an inverted position.
In use, after the candy container with the MandM(copyright) candies was mounted onto the body in its inverted position, the position of the left hand of the prior art candy dispensing character was manipulated to cause an MandM(copyright) candy to be dispensed from the candy container into the right hand of the candy dispensing character. In particular, in response to a user pivoting the left hand, the right hand of the candy dispensing character would be drawn into the body, an MandM(copyright) candy would be deposited into the right hand, and then the right hand would move outwardly with the MandM(copyright) candy disposed therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,386,909 to Spector discloses a display package in the shape of a bear in which a container composed of a clear material is disposed. The container may contain candy pieces, such as xe2x80x9cGummy Bearxe2x80x9d candy pieces, and the display package has a viewing port formed therein so that the candy pieces are visible through the container and the viewing port. The candy pieces may be retrieved by unscrewing the cap of the container.
The invention is directed to a candy dispenser having a housing shaped like an animated figure and having first and second housing openings formed therein, a candy container operatively positioned relative to the second housing opening so that pieces of candy that are inserted into the second housing opening may pass into the candy container, and a movable animated figure associated with the housing. The movable animated figure may be provided with a candy holder that is sized to hold a piece of candy, and the movable animated figure may be movable between a concealed position in which the movable animated figure is disposed within the housing and a revealed position in which the movable animated figure extends out of the first housing opening.
The movable animated figure may be operatively coupled to the candy container so that movement of the animated figure from the revealed position to the concealed position causes a piece of candy to be transferred from the candy container to the candy holder so that the movable animated figure may move from the concealed position to the revealed position with the piece of candy disposed in the candy holder.
The candy dispenser may also include a guide mechanism disposed within the housing that guides movement of the movable animated figure between the concealed position and the revealed position. The guide mechanism may be provided in the form of a pair of guide slots disposed within the housing and a pair of arms associated with the movable animated figure that extend into the guide slots.
The candy container may be pivotable relative to the housing, and the candy container may be operatively coupled to the housing by a pair of pivot pins. Each of the animated figures may be provided with at least a head and a pair of arms. The candy dispenser may also be provided with a spring disposed within the housing, the spring being operatively coupled to the movable animated figure so that the spring biases the movable animated figure to the revealed position.
The features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in view of the detailed description of the preferred embodiment, which is made with reference to the drawings, a brief description of which is provided below.